Dylan McDermott
Born	Mark Anthony McDermott October 26, 1961 (1961-10-26) (age 48) Waterbury, Connecticut, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1987–present
Spouse(s)	Shiva Afshar Rose (November 19, 1995-January 2, 2009) 2 children

Dylan McDermott (born October 26, 1961) is an American actor, known for his role as lawyer and law firm head Bobby Donnell on the television legal drama The Practice, and the series Dark Blue as Lt. Carter Shaw.

[edit] Early life

McDermott was born Mark Anthony McDermott^[1] in Waterbury, Connecticut, to Diane (née Marino) and Richard McDermott.^[2] His Italian American mother was fifteen and his Irish American father was seventeen when he was born.^[1] By 1967, the couple had divorced, and Diane and her children were living with her mother.^[1] On February 9, 1967,^[2] his mother was accidentally shot and killed with her boyfriend's gun; McDermott was five.^[3] Her boyfriend reported to newspapers at the time that she picked up his gun and it went off.^[2] He and his sister, Robin, then began to be raised by their maternal grandmother, Avis Marino, in Waterbury.^[1]

As a teenager, McDermott began taking trips to visit his father, who owned the West Fourth Street Saloon in New York City. The two would see movies together, and the younger McDermott would work in his father's bar serving drinks and breaking up fights. He would also fast talk his way into the Mudd Club and Studio 54.^[2] McDermott was uncomfortable with himself as a teenager, saying he had a "Dorothy Hamill hairdo". He began to imitate his acting heroes, such as Marlon Brando and Humphrey Bogart, to adopt their demeanor.^[4] McDermott attended and graduated from Holy Cross High School in Waterbury.

His father's third wife was Eve Ensler (author of The Vagina Monologues) and she legally adopted McDermott when he was fifteen years old^[5]; she has since divorced his father. McDermott was encouraged by Ensler, with whom he has remained close, to pursue an acting career,^[3] and began writing roles for him into her plays.^[2] After Ensler suffered a miscarriage, he took on the name Dylan—the name of her unborn child.^{[citation needed]} He attended acting school at the Jesuit-run Fordham University, as well as studying under Sanford Meisner at The Neighborhood Playhouse.

[edit] Career

McDermott starred as Chris in the 1989 film Twister about a man who tried to rescue his girlfriend and daughter from a tornado storm.^[6] The same year brought the Neon Empire, a movie about the rise and fall of one man in Las Vegas.^[7] However, his first big break as an actor was in the acclaimed hit film In the Line of Fire. Through his connection with Clint Eastwood, McDermott was able to land his first major gig in The Practice. The show expanded McDermott's stardom, and he made People's list of the "50 Most Beautiful People In The World 1998" with the magazine calling him a "a prime-time heartthrob".^[4] He nabbed the distinction again in 2000.^[8] Despite his success on The Practice, McDermott (and five other starring cast members) were cut from the show. Executive producer David E. Kelley cited "economic and creative realities" as a result of pressure from ABC to reduce costs.^[9]

In 2004, McDermott starred alongside Julianna Margulies four-part mini-series The Grid, playing FBI Special Agent Max Canary in an anti-terrorist unit.^[10]

In 2006, McDermott played a returned soldier suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder in the Ensler's play The Treatment.^[11]

In 2007, McDermott starred in the television series Big Shots. Due to low viewership, the show was cancelled in January 2008 after 11 episodes without completing the planned 13-episode season.

On October 30, 2008, TV Guide reported that McDermott is due to co-star alongside Shannen Doherty in the film Burning Palms, a satire based on Los Angeles stereotypes told through five intertwining storylines.^[12]

In 2009, McDermott starred in the Jerry Bruckheimer TNT drama, Dark Blue. McDermott plays a veteran cop who heads a squad of undercover LAPD officers.^[13] The show has been picked up for a second season consisting of ten episodes.^[14]

[edit] Personal life

McDermott is noted for his rugged looks and fashionable style, and in addition to his People magazine nods^{[clarification needed]},^[15] he has been featured for his style in magazines like Men's Health.^[16] In 1999, he was one of six-way tie for sixth in GQ's Man of the Year issue.^[17]

McDermott used to date actress Julia Roberts, who played opposite him in the film version of "Steel Magnolias." McDermott married actress Shiva Afshar Rose, who is of half Irish and half Persian descent,^[1] on November 19, 1995. They have two daughters - Colette (born 1996), and Charlotte Rose (born on September 8, 2005). Colette's birth is prominently featured in Ensler's Vagina Monologues.^[2] On September 27, 2007, People confirmed that McDermott and Rose have separated.^[18] On May 16, 2008, CelebTV.com reported that McDermott had filed for divorce from Rose.^[19] The divorce was finalized on January 2, 2009.^[20]

McDermott is a recovering alcoholic and has been sober for well over 20 years.

[edit] Career credits

[edit] Filmography

• Hamburger Hill (1987) - Sgt. Frantz
• The Blue Iguana (1988) - Vince Holloway
• Twister (1989) - Chris
• Steel Magnolias (1989) - Jackson Latcherie
• Hardware (1990) - Moses Baxter
• Where Sleeping Dogs Lie (1992) - Bruce Simmons
• Jersey Girl (1992) - Sal Tomei
• In the Line of Fire (1993) - Secret Service Agent Al D'Andrea
• The Cowboy Way (1994) - John Stark
• Miracle on 34th Street (1994) - Bryan Bedford
• Destiny Turns on the Radio (1995) - Julian Goddard
• Home for the Holidays (1995) - Leo Fish
• 'Til There Was You (1997) - Nick
• Three to Tango (1999) - Charles Newman
• Texas Rangers (2001) - Leander McNelly
• Party Monster (2003) - Peter Gatien
• Wonderland (2003) - David Lind
• Runaway Jury (2003) (uncredited) - Jacob Wood
• The Tenants (2005) - Henry Lesser
• Edison (2005) - Lazerov
• The Mistress of Spices (2005) - Doug
• Unbeatable Harold (2006) - Jake Salamander
• The Messengers (2007) - Roy
• Have Dreams, Will Travel (2007) - Uncle
• Burning Palms (2009) - Dennis Marx

[edit] Television

• The Neon Empire (1989) - Vic
• Into the Badlands (1991) - McComas
• Tales from the Crypt (1992) - George - guest appearance
• The Fear Inside (1992) - Pete Caswell
• The Practice (1997–2003) - Bobby Donnell
• Ally McBeal (1998) - Bobby Donnell - crossover guest appearance
• Will & Grace (2003) - Tom - guest appearance
• The Grid (2004) - FBI Agent Max Canary
• Big Shots (2007) - Duncan Collinsworth
• Dark Blue (2009–present) - Carter Shaw

[edit] Theater

• Golden Boy (date and role unknown)
• Believe It, See It, Survival (1978) —
• Biloxi Blues (1985) — Wykowski Selridge
• Floating Rhoda and the Glue Man (1995) —
• The Treatment (2006) — Man
• Three Changes (2008) — Nate

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Dylan McDermott at the Internet Movie Database
• atPictures.com- Dylan McDermott
• Dylan McDermott Fanlisting
• Dylan McDermott online